Enough is #Enough

Let’s all be part of the change.

No-one should live in fear of abuse. Enough is enough. We can all do our bit to keep women and girls safe.

In March 2022, The Home Secretary launched an ambitious new, multi-year national communications campaign which says ‘Enough’ to violence against women and girls.

The first phase of the campaign focused on tackling Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG), focusing on perpetrators and tackling abuse.   

Last year a Call for Evidence, provided 180,000 responses and these informed the campaign. The multi-year campaign continues and will educated young people about healthy relationships and consent, ensuring that victims are able to recognise abuse and seek support.

These findings were used in conjunction with advisory group comprising over 30 voluntary sector organisations, survivors and academics who all gave their expert insights.

Home Secretary Priti Patel said:   

“For too long, the responsibility of keeping safe has been placed on the shoulders of women and girls. This campaign says enough, and recognises it is on all of us to demand major societal change. Everyone has a stake in this. 

“Our new campaign shows that everyone can play a role in challenging abuse and making our country a safer place. By accepting all of the recommendations in the HMICFRS report I commissioned last year, the Government and the police are doubling down to support victims and survivors and punish perpetrators.”   

The Home Secretary also commissioned a two-phase independent inquiry, chaired by Dame Eilsh Angiolini QC, to investigate and scrutinise the robustness of vetting practices, professional standards and discipline, and workplace behaviour within the police.   

Deputy Chief Constable Maggie Blyth said: 

“The last year has seen some tragic and shocking incidences of violence against women and girls. There have been abhorrent examples of abuse or misogyny by police officers.

“We have a good plan for change in policing to better protect women and girls from violence and root out misogyny in our own ranks.  Experts in the VAWG sector have helped shape it and all forces are implementing it.  I will review progress to ensure we are delivering as well as enabling others to scrutinise our progress. 

“The Government’s decision to make tackling violence against women and girls a strategic policing requirement reinforces the commitment already made by police chiefs to prioritise making women and girls safer.”   

CEO of Karma Nirvana Natasha Rattu said:   

“We welcome the launch of 'Enough', which the Karma Nirvana team and survivor ambassadors contributed to. The campaign is an important step and sends a powerful message that violence against women and girls cannot go on, and everyone has a role to play to stop it.

We are pleased to see the Home Office launch a communications campaign that raises awareness of the abuse women and girls can face on a daily basis, challenges perpetrators and empowers others to know how to safely intervene if they witness unacceptable abuse.”   

Chief executive at Women’s Aid Farah Nazeer said: 

“Violence against women and girls is a spectrum, running from the everyday misogyny that is so prevalent, many people don’t even notice it, right through to horrifically violent crimes and murder.

Campaigns like this by the Home Office are an important tool to raise awareness of sexist actions and language that have been tolerated for too long and normalise the treatment of women as objects.

Women’s Aid will continue to keep working for the safety of women — until we no longer walk home in fear, whether it is the journey or the destination that holds the greatest danger – but we can’t do it alone.

It’s also not enough that women must initiate and highlight the urgency of these conversations. We need allyship to help bring about structural change.”  

Police and Crime Commissioner for Wiltshire and Swindon, Philip Wilkinson and his office fully supports the campaign. In his #MakingWiltshireSafer Police and Crime Plan, 2022 – 2025, priority two focuses on reducing violence and serious harm. This includes tackling domestic abuse and reducing violence in communities, a focused strategy to tackle violence against women and girls.

Fore more information visit: Home | VAWG (campaign.gov.uk)